Best friend Alternatives in 2026
The top friend alternatives are Nomi AI, Kindroid and Replika: 15 AI companion apps our editors would look at instead of friend, in our ranking order.
friend: A distinctive wearable companion for iPhone users who value spoken conversations and memory. Where it falls short: iOS-only platform.
Switching from friend? For most ai companion apps buyers the best friend alternative is Nomi AI, built for memory-focused companion users. On a budget, BeMyBuddi starts at $6.99/mo. Neo offers the most conversation limit (50 messages/day).
Why People Look for a friend Alternative
- iOS-only platform
- Free-plan memories fade after 30 days
- The experience depends on paid wearable hardware
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallNomi AI9.3
Memory-focused companion users
Visit Nomi AI - Lowest priceBeMyBuddi8.1
Paid plans from $6.99/mo
Visit BeMyBuddi - Best free optionNomi AI9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Nomi AI - Most conversation limitNeo8.5
50 messages/day
Visit Neo
All 15 friend Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forMemory-focused companion users
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 6.5
A broad AI companion for users who value memory, customization, and voice.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Nomi AI -
Best forMost feature-rich companion experience
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 6.5
A highly customizable companion with deep memory, multimodal chats, and proactive interaction.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Kindroid -
Best forPeople wanting a customizable AI companion
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 6.5
A mature all-round companion app with memory, voice, visuals, and relationship customization.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Replika -
Best forFree, flexible companion builders
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 6.5
A free, flexible companion builder with broad customization and model options.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Ensoul -
Best forOpen-source and local-model users
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.5
A flexible local-first companion for users who value control over convenience.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Utsuwa -
AI AngelsVerified
Best forAdults wanting uncensored companion roleplay on web or Telegram
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.5
A web and Telegram AI companion service for adults, with persistent memory, staged relationships and credit-based photos, calls and video.
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit AI Angels -
Best forCross-device companion users
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 6.5
A cross-device AI companion app with strong personalization and clear paid tiers.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Paradot AI -
Best forVisual relationship experiences
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 6.5
A visual AI companion app with deep customization and a relatively high paid entry price.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Kissable -
Best forHealth-oriented companion support
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 6.5
A health-oriented AI companion spanning reminders, care tools, voice, and persistent memory.
- Proactive messages
- Voice conversations
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Neo -
Best forAction-oriented voice companions
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.5
A broad mobile companion combining voice, memory, customization, and everyday actions.
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Besties -
Best forCustom character and image fans
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 6.5
A customizable AI companion with persistent memory, images, voice and tiered access.
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Muah.AI -
Best forPremium visual roleplay companions
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 6.5
A media-rich web companion for users who prioritize customization and roleplay.
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Candy AI -
Best forAffordable browser-based companions
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 6.5
An affordable browser companion app with memory, games, images, and custom characters.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit BeMyBuddi -
Best forVideo-capable companion newcomers
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 6.5
A flexible companion app with voice and video options, but limited free access.
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit EVA AI -
Best forAdults wanting customizable romantic companions
- Better than friend:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 6.5
A flexible romantic AI companion with memory, media features, and broad device access.
- Proactive messages
- Image or video chat
- Voice conversations
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit DreamGF AI
friend Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to friend?
Nomi AI: #1 in our AI Companion Apps ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A broad AI companion for users who value memory, customization, and voice.
Is there a free alternative to friend?
Yes. Nomi AI, Kindroid, Replika, Ensoul and Utsuwa have a free plan or a free tier (13 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to friend?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, BeMyBuddi starts lowest, at $6.99/mo.
Why do people look for friend alternatives?
iOS-only platform; Free-plan memories fade after 30 days; The experience depends on paid wearable hardware.
Which friend alternative has the most conversation limit?
Neo, with 50 messages/day.
How do I switch from friend?
Export your data from friend (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel friend.
How to Switch from friend
- Export your data from friend (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel friend.
friend vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Voice conversations | Persistent memory | Proactive messages | Mobile access | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | friend | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ios | 6.5 | ||
| 1 | Nomi AI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 9.3 | |
| 2 | Kindroid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 9.2 | |
| 3 | Replika | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 9.1 | |
| 4 | Ensoul | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android | 8.9 |
| 5 | Utsuwa | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 6 | AI Angels | Yes | $12.99/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 7 | Paradot AI | Yes | $9/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.7 |
| 8 | Kissable | Yes | $99.99/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ios | 8.6 |
| 9 | Neo | Yes | €13.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.5 |
| 10 | Besties | No | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.4 | ||
| 11 | Muah.AI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android | 8.3 | ||
| 12 | Candy AI | No | $13.99/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | ||
| 13 | BeMyBuddi | Yes | $6.99/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | ||
| 14 | EVA AI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.0 | ||
| 15 | DreamGF AI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 7.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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